Page 22 of Love in Development

I could see Ni’s lips moving out of the corner of my eye.As if he were mouthing the words along with the actors.

Finally, dancing!Everyone was dancing, and Charisse’s Titania was blessing the lovers, who were disappearing backstage while the other fairy spoke...Could this truly be the end?It sounded like a wrap-up to me.I couldn’t take it anymore.If I waited until the lights came up, the aisles would be packed.Grabbing my jacket and without looking back, I climbed over Lin with an “I’m not feeling well,” so I was keeping my promise.Then somehow squeezed past the wall that was Maddox, bursting out into the darkened aisle and toward freedom.

Chapter 7

The sun shone down, the cool breeze fluttered the wet frizz framing my face, drying it.Real-world winter was a distinct contrast to the dark, overly warm theater where I had felt trapped.Tree branches swished, reaching up to the open sky.

I felt a sudden, irrational anger at my friends.Lin had been so involved with her boyfriend that she hadn’t even asked why I kept shifting, or where I was going when I pressed past.And Charisse had made me stay in an uncomfortable situation for over an hour, so she could pretend to be a fairy.It wasn’t like either of them had come to my PvP tourney.

I blamed RogueStriker, the jerk, for ruining my trust and patience in Lin and Charisse.Climbing onto my faithful, accident-dented bike, I tightened my grip on the handlebars.I knew logically it wasn’t them who had made me uncomfortable but my own reaction to Ni.And that took me back to a few minutes earlier with him sitting inches from me in the darkness.I shook my head like an Etch A Sketch to erase the thoughts and started pedaling.I knew I was being ridiculous, but I needed some space.My laptop, PJs, and a grape soda called to me—my comforts.

The stir of air and the rush of my heart pumping in my ears always got the endorphins flowing.By the time I got home, I knew I’d be in a better frame of mind.

Speaking of RogueStriker, I was going to kill that griefer.Because of his defamation, except for that quick boss fight with IvoryKnight, I hadn’t played for several days, afraid of the reception I’d get.Between that, the issues with Lin and Charisse, and my semester-end tests, it was a no wonder‌ I was so stressed this week.I couldn’t get why the online community would believe his lies, yet I couldn’t let him take this from me.

The chatter and calls of busy people living their own lives like the NPCs—non-playable characters of a game—overrode the whoosh of wind in my ears.With the semester officially over and nothing left to study for, the urge to escape my IRL problems overwhelmed me.On the sidewalk, a dad lifted a toddler onto his shoulders and laughed at his wife pushing a stroller as I rode past.Burning crept behind my nose.My life used to be like that.Mom’s eyes had once shone with happiness as the three of us had played hide-and-seek and jumped through sprinklers together as a family.In the last six months, though, the sparkle had faded, and lines had sprouted all along her eyes and mouth.

Between real-life problems and in-game problems, I’d rather focus on the latter.

Getting home before a breakdown combined with the promise of finally being alone and doing what I loved urged me to pedal faster.Despite my jacket, my nose and fingers tingled from the icy wind by the time I rode up to the familiar apartment building.

I jumped off my bike.Home at last.My internal walls began to crumble like the cement stairs I walked my bike up, leading into the dilapidated building.My throat tightened, and I sniffed several times.A chill ran through me.Dad had displaced Mom for Val so easily—swayed by looks and the excitement of the moment—over years of commitment.The uncomfortable memories of the theater were too close.I ruthlessly locked them out as I shut the apartment door behind me and my bike.

Inside, I tossed my keys onto the counter, grabbed a purple can from the fridge, and once safely ensconced in my room, ripped off my sweaty clothes before climbing into sweats.Our heater banged along the walls, struggling to keep up with the inevitably dropping temperature outside that in the next few weeks would end in an icy precipitation.

I booted up my newly repaired laptop as I settled into my pillow and blanket-draped folding chair with a purple soda.A swig of artificial grape washed over my tongue and down my throat.I set the can down before reaching for my mouse.

My messages were full, and I swallowed.I hesitated over the “read messages” key, as if it might release a room full of special monsters.The nasty messages I had encountered last time had compounded my dread over the last days like a boogeyman hiding under my bed.It was the anticipation that was killing me.I just needed to get it over with.I pulled in my stomach and pressed the button.

Rude comment.Rude comment.Someone asked me to stop playing the game.I skimmed, and about a third of the way down, they changed.The knot in my stomach loosened slightly.There were several offers on the items I had for sale—real money trumped in-game money every time.I responded to those and cleared out my inbox of all the nasty stuff.The knot loosened more with each deletion.

Not everyone cared about what that griefer said.A new direct message popped up.

IvoryKnight: Want to join our group?

My face heated.I wasn’t sure how I felt about interacting with him after everything I had shared last time.